Ball-bearing.



Patented Nov. 28, I899.

F. M. WUODS.

BALL BEARING.

Appl t :1 S1 d S pt 8 1898) (No Model.)

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED M. \VOODS, OF WINFIELD, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO D. J. HAYDEN AND J. D. RUSSELL, OF SAME PLACE.

BALL-BEARING.

srncrr rcnrron forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,158, dated November 28, 1899.

Application filed September 8, 1898 Serial No. 690,511. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LFRED M. WOoDs,aciti- 'zen of the United States, residing atWinfield, in the county of Cowley and Stateof Kansas, have invented a new and useful Ball-Bearing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ball-bearings; and the object thereof is to-provide a ball-cup of special construction and adapted for use in connection therewith of a lubricating device of novel form and associated with the cup and balls in a novel relation, whereby a ballrace is formed of which the marginal portions are of metal and the intermediate portion of yielding but inelastic and absorbent material, the exposed surface of which is concave and conforms to the cross-sectional curvature of the ball-race, and, in fact, forms a flush portion of said race, so that when oiledit will supply the lubricant regularly, evenly, and in the necessary quantity to the balls, the said ringserving also to absorb or take up surplus oil and collect dust, dirt, and other foreign matter which enter the bearing, thereby keeping the balls clean and constantly supplied with lubricant. It is intended to construct the ball-cup in such a manner that it may be readily applied to the hub of a bicycle-wheel or to the crank-handle or pedal of such machine and readily removed therefrom and replaced, as may be found necessary. The improved cup is not limited in its application to the places above named, but may with equal advantage be used in connection with the heads of bicycles and also in connection with buggies, wagons, mowers, binders, and a great variety of machines.

The invention consists in a ball-cup for ball-bearings embodying certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a sufficient portion of the ball-bearing to illustrate the form of the improved cup and its relation to the other parts of the bearing. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective View of the ball-cup broken away to illustrate clearly the form of the absorbent ring and the manner in which it is held in place. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the absorbent ring omitted. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the absorbent ring detached.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a cylindrical ball-cup adapted to receive a series of antifriction-balls 2, which cooperate with the cup, and a cone 3. The balls being arranged within the cylindrical ball-cup bear against the end wall 4 of the cup and the hollow cylindrical portion 5 of the cup. In the angle between the cylindrical portion of the cup and the end wall 4 an annular pocket or recess 8 is provided, the same extending back from the ball-race into the end wall and being in line with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the ball-cu p. Within the annular recess or pocket 8 is arranged a removable ring 6,0f any suitable absorbent material, such as felt, and this ring constitutes a lubricating device, being designed to take up and hold a quantity of oil and yield the same up or give it out and evenly distribute the same upon the balls as thelatter traverse the ball-race and roll in contact therewith.

The ring 6 fits snugly into the pocket 8 and is frictionally held therein, and the outer exposed surface of said ring is concave to conform to the circumferential curvature of the balls. The ring therefore presentsa smooth concave face against which the balls roll, and the ring is thus enabled to supply oil to the balls in a small quantity sufiicient to thoroughly lubricate them, and at the same time surplus oil is wiped from the balls, together with any dust, dirt,'0r other foreign matter that may enter the bearing.

The ball-bearing is shown applied in the accompanying drawings to a threaded stem or axle 12, and the cup is retained by nuts 10 and 11; but the said parts are not essential to the present invention, and the cup may be applied in various ways, according to need or conditions.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that by forming an annular pocket in the angle between the cylindrical and end walls of the cup and extending said pocket back into the end wall in line with the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the cup and placing therein a ring of absorbent material of the cross-sectional form described a ballrac'e within the cup is provided, of which the marginal portions are of metal and the intermediate portions of absorbent, yielding, but inelastic material, and that as the balls roll in contact with the cylindrical portion and end wall of the cup surplus oil is wiped from the balls and the oil again given out in the required quantity by the absorbent ring and evenly distributed upon the balls, and, further, any foreign matter which may find its way into the bearing and lodge upon the balls is removed therefrom and collected by said ring by reason of its contact with the balls as they move in the circular path within the cup.

It has been ascertained by practical test that a lubricating-ring of the character described and shown is capable of yielding sufficient oil to maintain the balls in a properly-lubricated state for a period of six months under ordinary conditions;

The improvement described obviates the necessity of employing Vaseline or other gummy lubricating substance and also economizes oil by utilizing all that is supplied to the hearing, and thus preventing waste.

From the foregoing it is thought that the constructioii,operation,and many advantages of the herein-described ball-bearing will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

A ball-cup for ball-bearings, comprising a hollow cylindrical body portion and an end wall, an annular pocket being formed in the angle between the body portion and end wall, and a ring of absorbent material filling said pocket and having its exposed surface concave to form a flush portion of the ball-race defined by the inner surface of the cylindrical body and the end wall, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\ I FRED M. WOODS.

Witnesses:

E. I. JOHNSON, I. D. JOHNSOLI. 

